5 Fun Ways to Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
The month of May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, AAPIHM for short. Happied is a proudly APA-owned company, so this is a very special month for us! It's a time to honor and celebrate the insurmountable contributions, historical milestones, and achievements of the AAPI community that have deeply enriched the U.S. and have been instrumental in its success. It's important to normalize centering marginalized communities as they tend to be overlooked and shallowly represented. The work of the AAPI community deserves attention, and not solely in times of crisis or national months. We put together a few recommendations to offer insight into the fun and expansive ways that you can celebrate support, and honor AAPIHM throughout May and beyond!
Listen
Brought to you from the Los Angeles Times, "Asian Enough" is a podcast that explores the intricacies of the Asian American experience. Hosts Suhauna Hussain, Johana Bhuiyan, Tracy Brown, and Jen Yamato of the Times explore the diaspora through interviews with notable guests from all across the boards including politics, sports, and entertainment. The conversations are free-flowing and authentic and invite listeners in to take a seat at a new cultural table- Because it's truly an honor to be invited or have access to a certain level of vulnerability from a culture outside of your own.
Make/Eat
Most people are familiar with very particular cuisines within the AAPI community whereas, other dishes don't quite get their shine, like the delicious Pani Popo. These Samoan coconut rolls are sweet, tasty, and easy to make. The warm Samoan buns are smothered in a coconut sauce and are perfect to enjoy for breakfast, after dinner, or as a little midnight treat. Check out the recipe here, enjoy!
Invest
AAPI Women Lead is an organization whose mission is to collect and archive the stories of AAPI women through building initiatives nationwide with workshops consisting of conversations and stories from attendees, partners, communities, and existing research. The final result is a collection of powerful perspectives from women and girls in the U.S. who identify as a part of the AAPI community. Due to cultural erasure and silencing, there is limited research and data from this particular group. Donations will help to raise visibility and create spaces for these women and girls to be in charge of their narratives!
AAPI Women Lead also has a "Solidarity Box" that contains healing items from creators, community members, volunteers, and allies within the AAP community. Click here for more info.
Explore
There's plenty of programming happening this month, so it's an excellent time to do a tour in person or virtually.
The Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art has online thematic explorations of both the museum’s permanent collections and special exhibitions.
The National Park Service is a wonderful resource for discovering hidden gems, historical landmarks, memorials, and instagramable utopias that preserve the richness of AAPI contributions, traditions, and history. These sites also have virtual viewings if you can't make the trip live!
Watch
Minari
This Oscar-nominated film directed by Lee Isaac Chung tells a remarkable and heartfelt story about a Korean family who moves to the Ozarks in search of the American Dream. It’s s a must-see portrait of one family working hard to actualize a fallacy with many challenges stacked against them. This is a raw and honest look into so many families' realities, and really worth watching. It's available to rent on various platforms such as YouTube, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime.
We hope this month you can take the time to explore the vast history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and continue to support these communities in meaningful ways.
Start by booking your next corporate event with Happied! Enjoy a virtual event where you and your team can learn to prepare delicious taro coconut tea and fresh milk bubble tea, a traditional drink originating from Taiwan.
